As someone who loves Disney and enjoyed watching the Decendants movies throughout the years as they premiere, I gotta say really loved the new movie!
Spoilers for New Wicked Wonderland Movie along with Rambles and Thoughts:
-Loved all the music in this one. Each one had it's own feel and style and I feel like it was better than Rise of Red Soundtrack to me. (Though that's subjective because everyone has different tastes in music!)
Mad is my fav. It felt like a classic Disney Villain song with a modern/Decendants twist and Maddox's actor changing his voice and tone really pushed home how the man went insane. He was a fun campy villain and the actor seemed like he was having fun playing him. It was the song I was looking forward to the most and it did not disappoint to me. (The girls' cover of it was good too, but Maddox's version is my favorite)
-I really liked Hazel. While she didn't get as much time as some of the other cast members when she did get the spotlight girl stole it. Her rap/flex battle with Luis was fun to watch. Probably my second fav song out of the tracks.
- Luis and Red were sweet but I feel like their plot was a little rushed. Their song was nice and their voices blended really well together and it did help me like the pairing more. That said though... So much in Red's life is changing and they really prioritized the romance between her and Luis over other things, which kind of made other parts of the movie not get as much attention.
-I liked Pink. I appreciate the fact that they had her be a sweet and nice character but not be an airhead. I've seen people point out they don't get why she got mad seemingly out of nowhere, but after watching it again I noticed something. Every time Red ever acknowledges her its essentially taking jabs at her or putting her down.
"Okay she's ridiculous"
"To be fair the record is still trying to figure out if me and Pink are related"
"It's sweet like Pink so you know, take it with moderation"
"Yeah what would you know about it?"
She didn't hear what Red told Max, but she was within earshot for all those other comments. Given Pink and her in this time line are hinted to be close that has to hurt. I don't blame the poor girl for calling her out saying it feels like she literally doesn't care about her.
The moment Red finds the treasure box and we see her memories blend with this timelines was sweet. That moment along with Brigette having her villain moment towards Maddox near the end seems to hint the timelines and memories are merging.
Oh and her friendship with the Smee twins was adorable to me. Very cute and wholesome. The twins didn't get much time but they did make me laugh from their antics. They're just sillies.
-Felix and Robbie trauma bonding over constantly being thrown into the chaos of wonderland🤣. Poor boys... Felix's "My dude! 😱" as Robbie got flung off the chess board was hilarious. Wish they got more time to shine, especially Felix. His card powers were really cool to see. Oh and him giving Pink a new teacup for one she lost was super sweet to me.
-Chloe... I'm going to be honest Chloe's turn to evil felt pretty sudden. I also understand where she was coming from to an extent.
It feels like Red's hinted to be Chloe's first real friend and they're in a new timeline where everything's so different so she's clinging onto the one thing that feels normal. Even if it was a bond that only just started.
And then of course the plant incident. Using her as live bait was messed up and while I get Red's excuse it's the fact she downplayed doing it the action and Chloe feelings of hurt over it that really pushed Chloe to storm off.
That said Red had a point to where she's focusing on saving her mom and her getting frustrated with Chloe not focusing on that is understandable. It's just the fact that Red really just downplayed how she was treating everyone that made her come out like the bad guy.
-Max, oh boy this poor guy. If anyone had the most valid crash out it was him. Learning that Red basically stole his life, unintentionally or not, was painful to watch. It's even more heartbreaking when the thing that shatters Max is seeing and hearing his father in the alternate time line say he loves him. It makes you wonder if he never heard it the one they're in now and it just... breaks my heart.
Dude became Varian in that moment, I can already see the crossovers happening.
He had a great singing voice and his and Chloe's duet sounded great.
(I still can't believe it took us so long to get a villain pairing acting as antagonists in a disney movie but hey at least we got one. Even if it only lasted for a about... five or seven minutes.)
Not sure how I feel about them being paired up because they had even less time than Red and Luis. Plus the whole... enchanting Chloe for revenge thing. Gives the same kind of vibe when Mal enchanted Ben.
-speaking of Max... dang I am not a fan of how him and his dad essentially got the short end of the stick in the end. Red wasn't even willing to try and yes time travel trouble and all that but still... She was willing to do that for her mom and even Chloe's mom but not for her best friend and his son. Maddox who literally got sent to the Isle and went insane (and let's be real became evil thanks to being around a lot of the villains who didn't want to change their ways). Max who was treated horribly by others because of his relation to his dad, had a father who went mad and from what we see cared more about a watch than his own son's life or safety. All this was thanks to Red and Chloe and they're basically told "Nope, sorry can't mess with time anymore." and toss the watch away.
Even the promise she gave Max just stings. The only thing that eases it is the hint that the timelines are merging so hopefully that means Max can get a loving father again.
- Chessy looks like is going to use Pink as an antagonist next movie. Probably regarding Red and their mom's... honestly blatant favoritism for her older daughter.
(Notice how Pink didn't even run to her mom when they reunited. She ran to the gang and hugged them. Or the fact that Bridgette and Ella's song calling out to their daughters Bridgette only focused on Red. Heck she only said Red's name when she was about to pass out. The only time she even acknowledges she has two is when she's fuming at Maddox near the end...)
Could just be jumping to conclusions though.
-I loved seeing wonderland, they really said "Budget!" when they put this together. Even the camera work was more professional. (And as someone who loves Pokémon Sword and Shield that mushroom forest was giving serious Glimwood Tangle/Ballonea vibes.)
Overall I feel like it was miles better in writing than Rise of Red. To be fair to ROR they went through multiple rewrites and unfortunately it shows. They made best with what they had in that one, but they really nailed it with this sequel to me.
The little easter eggs throughout were a blast to see, whether it be from other disney movies or the classic animated Alice in Wonderland movie. (I also noticed during the scene where Red and Chloe are speaking to Cinderella and Fairy Godmother you can see Carlos' picture past Fairy Godmother's shoulder. It'd incredibly sweet to see they're honoring and having him live on in the movies.)
Plot was definitely hectic and a little rushed, but I forgive it because... well have you seen the original Alice in Wonderland animated move Disney made? Wonderland is hectic and crazy and weird and the plot being hectic feels like it works well for it.
